Kagami
by Lacertae
Summary: A fifteen year old girl from Amegakure holds the four tailed demon. Akatsuki killed her parents, and they've returned to kill her remaining family, her grandfather. She is pulled from the ashes of her life by none other than Uchiha Sasuke. SasxOC
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I only own the OC and the idea behind this story. If I owned Sasuke,...not even finishing that.

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**Kagami**

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**_Prologue_**

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_A beautiful, white bird landed on the trees just outside of the leader's home. Its feathers were not very defined, but I was not really examining the birds. Hanzo, leader of Amegakure, was struggling to keep the village united as the country was caught in a violent civil war._

_Hanzo was my grandfather, and, since my parents had died in a raid on the school where they worked, I was treated like a precious stone and hidden away from the world. The compound was guarded day and night by those still loyal, but the guards' faces were constantly changing. No one lasted long._

_I knew I wasn't supposed to go near the doors or windows, but I wanted to see the bird. Perhaps, it would even let me touch it. It would be as close as I would get to freedom._

_Somewhere between opening the window and reaching out to stroke it's pale form, an explosion occurred. The tree's trunk split down the center, and the wall of the compound shattered. Flames licked at the roof overhead, and I struggled to keep conscious as blood poured from the large gash in my skull._

_Even though I was dying, I had never seen anything more beautiful than the flames that surrounded me. Peaceful as I was, I could hear panicked shouts and crying. Hanzo, though he rarely left his secret room, was there. He couldn't reach me, no matter how powerful his ninjutsu were._

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_Author Rant_

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This is the prologue to my story. It is in first person, as one can see. The person narrating is the OC character. You will find her name out as the story goes on. This is not the first Sasuke story I've written, but...I'm not a big Sasuke fan. Okay, I'm a closet Sasuke fan.

Reviews are always nice! Lots of love! Later.


	2. Akatsuki

**Disclaimer:** I only own the OC and the idea behind this story. If I owned Sasuke,...not even finishing that.

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**_Akatsuki_**

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My eyes fluttered open. I found myself in a very foreign place. The bed sheets were of a high quality material, the air smelled of mildew and stagnant water, and the light that lit the depressing room came from a trio of flickering candles.

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and allowed my feet to touch the cold stone floor. I was wearing a white yukata, and most of my body was covered in thick bandages. Taking the small bowl of water from the bedside table, I looked at my reflection.

The girl staring back at me had only one eye showing. Her head was tightly bandaged, and, in some places, was soaked with blood. I tried to make a sound, but the bandages kept my jaw in the closed position. My throat ached with even the smallest attempt at making noise.

"What are you doing out of bed?" A monotone voice startled me.

Resisting the urge to spin around, I turned to face the intruder. I looked down at the bowl of water and then back up at the man. I did not believe that it was my reflection.

"..." He walked to my side and took the bowl from my hands.

Raising a bandaged arm, I stopped him from taking the water away. I dared to look once more at myself. A tear fell from my revealed eye, and I knocked the bowl out of his hands. He wasn't amused, but he didn't lash out at me.

I was hideous, and I did not want to be seen. Taking the top cover from the bed, I threw it over myself and sunk to my knees on the floor. My burnt flesh throbbed upon coming in contact with the cold floor, but I didn't want to move.

"Get off the floor. Do you want to sleep there tonight?" He asked as he snatched the blanket from over me.

"?" I looked up at him as if he would scream upon seeing me, but he looked rather annoyed.

His emotions did not go any farther than his eyes, and it deeply confused me. Why it confused me, I didn't know. Someone taught me to cherish my emotions, for they separated man from beast.

"Me?" I choked out.

I wanted to know who I was. I didn't know what happened to me, but I did know that the bandages were covering bad burns.

"So she is awake." The new voice sent shivers down my spine, and I peeked over the mattress to see the man it belonged to.

"I don't understand why you saved her." The man that stood above me frowned.

"Because she is a _jinchuuriki_, Sasuke." The man in the doorway moved into the dimly lit room to reveal his pallid skin and snake-like eyes.

"_Jinchuuriki_?" I thought and forced myself to my feet.

"If she is a _jinchuuriki_, why isn't she healing any faster?" Sasuke smirked and glanced at me.

"Her chakra is cut off from that of the four-tailed reptile demon inside of her. There is a seal between her shoulder blades." The snake-like man smiled as my eyes widened.

I took a step backwards and right into Sasuke's arms. He looked at me with mild surprise, and I clenched and unclenched my swore hands. How did they know? The mark was a seal...?

"We can deactivate it," The snake-like man said with some amusement.

Rigorously, I shook my head. I looked back at Sasuke for some type of calm, but he, too, looked untrustworthy. As the man approached me, I ducked underneath the bed and curled into a ball.

"Do you know what a _jinchuuriki_ is, Oren?" I froze upon hearing the man say that name.

Poking my head out, I looked up at him. He had a sly, satisfied smile on his face, and he held his hand out for me to grasp.

"Oren is your name. Don't play games with me, I know your memory was lost," He said as he dragged me out from under the bed.

I screamed and struggled to get away from him. My skin was cracking and bleeding underneath the bandages, and the pain had me screaming even louder. He moved his hands to form different signs, and thrust his palm directly between my shoulder blades.

My vision turned dark, and I was met with a pair of yellow, glowing eyes. The creature was trapped in a rather large cage, but the chains on it had been loosened. It spoke to me in a language I didn't know, and then I was thrust back into reality.

"Orochimaru, what does this have to do with becoming stronger?" Sasuke demanded as he held me in his arms.

"She is the bait that will bring your brother right to you. I suggest you keep her alive," Orochimaru grinned maliciously and left.

"Bait?" The word was clear as day when it spilled from my covered mouth.

"Get back into bed," Sasuke said in his indifferent voice.

Obeying, I moved out of his arms and back to the cool sheets of my bed. It was my bed now, for I'd be spending a lot of time in it.

"Do I...have a...surname?" My voice was raspy now and tired from use.

"Nakamura." He pinched each of the candle flames and left me in darkness.

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_Author Rant_

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_First off, I decided to share some things with my readers. The title of this story, in case you haven't figured it out, is the Japanese word for _mirror_. I gave it that title because it was the first word that I ever learned, and it seemed innocent. Also, Oren is not exactly the most beautiful girl in the world (mirrors...reflection?)._

_This chapter is my favorite. I started out with an ItachixOC story, and ended up deciding on SasukexOC. If you read it over again with that in mind, it's kind of obvious. The eyes comment gives it away for me. _

_Now I know something is off, and I'm sure someone noticed it as well. Orochimaru has the use of his arms in this story. It's simple really, ever had to deal with a villain that doesn't have the use of his arms? No? Exactly. He is unable to attack, but he retains the use of his limbs. _

_Reviews are nice! Much love. _

_Later._


	3. Monsters of Dawn

**Disclaimer:** I only own the OC and the idea behind this story. If I owned Sasuke,...not even finishing that.

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**_Monsters of Dawn_**

I dreamt of a white bird that could fly on the very rays of sunlight. As it drew closer to the earth, I realized that it was made of clay. In a vibrant explosion of colors, the bird frightened me awake.

"Sasuke?" I called to the dark room.

I ran my fingertips over the gauze that covered my left eye. Tugging at the white bandages, I tried to free my eye from its darkness.

"Don't do that, baka," Sasuke said as he grabbed my wrist.

How long had he been in the shadows of the room? Had he witnessed my feared reaction? I let him drop my hand into my lap.

"I'm supposed to take care of you," Sasuke said with obvious distaste.

"I'm sorry," I apologized and bowed my head.

"Just shut up and hold still," He frowned and began to unwind the bandages.

My left eye slowly began seeing more than the many layers of gauze. As he removed the final layer, I could feel the air hitting the scabbed wound on my head. I was finally able to see things, and the first thing I saw was Sasuke's face.

"Why isn't Kabuto doing this?" Sasuke mumbled to himself.

"Kabuto?" I asked as he continued to unwind the exposed bandages.

"He's a medic nin," Sasuke said shortly.

I looked up at him when I felt that he had stopped unwinding the bandages. His eyes were on my face and the rest of my exposed, charred flesh, and I no longer wanted to be in his presence. The look that he had made my eyes tear up. His expression was a mixture of shock and—though some might try to overlook it—pity.

"I wouldn't look at it," Sasuke frowned and stopped me before I could examine the damage.

"A-!" I cut the scream off as I felt the cool cream being applied to my skin.

He had a bored look on his face as he put the healing cream on my skin, yet it was more interesting than anything else. I observed him observing me, as odd as it seems.

"Are you going to kill me?" His hands stopped moving over my skin, and he looked me in the eyes.

"No," Sasuke replied shortly.

"Do you miss your brother? Is that why you wish to seem him again?" My question sounded childish, and the movement of my mouth made my skin crack and ooze.

"You shouldn't be talking, do you want to bleed to death?" His voice was harsh, but wasn't it kind of him to look out for me?

I remembered the feeling of being a big sister, though I wasn't sure why. I could picture myself with my young sister. I was teaching her all that I knew. For some reason, the pictures in my head—my memories—didn't go any farther than when the girl was a toddler.

"You hate him, Sasuke," I said in a quiet tone.

"I'm going to kill him," He said as he finished applying the cream to my flesh.

"Power is a silly thing to wish for. Can power return a hug?" I could tell that Sasuke wasn't like Orochimaru, but I could also tell that he wasn't as good as I first thought.

"Baka, why would I want a hug when I can finally get the revenge I've always wanted?" Sasuke said much like a teacher would say to a child.

"Because the anger and sadness will just eat you alive until there's nothing left." I saw that the broken pieces of the bowl were no longer on the floor.

"...Are you hungry?" Sasuke got off the bed and moved towards the door.

"Yes," I said as my stomach growled.

"What do you want to eat?" He didn't want to serve me food, but we both knew that he would.

"I love ramen." I smiled, but the pain in my face quickly made it disappear.

"Like Naruto...," I heard him say quietly as he left the room.

"Naruto. Naruto." I repeated the name to see if I recognized it, but no images came to mind.

"Good morning." I tensed as I felt someone standing over me.

I turned to the left and found myself staring at Orochimaru. His face, though not covered in burns, was more hideous than my own. On instinct, I pulled my knees up to my chest.

"You look well," He teased me. "Why are your bandages off? Did you do this?" He frowned at the pile of dirty bandages.

"Sasuke put medicine on my burns," I said as I held out my arm.

He snatched my wrist and turned my arm about. With a sound indicating satisfaction, he released my arm and took a seat on the bed.

"Have you heard of Akatsuki, Oren?" Orochimaru asked in a conversational voice.

"..." I shook my head to indicate that I hadn't heard of it.

"It's an organization of S-rank missing shinobi. Right now, they want you," Orochimaru said with a frightening look in his yellow orbs. "More specifically, they want the four-tailed demon inside of you."

I mustered all the strength I could so that I could glare at him. He chuckled at my pained expression, and removed himself from the bed.

"Do you know what happens to a _jinchuuriki_ that loses its demon?" He extended a hand to stroke my hair.

"Do not touch me," I frowned and jerked away.

"They die." With that said, he left me alone.

I survived a horrible fire, but I would still die. Gently, I rested my aching head on my arms and stared off at the sunlight that seemed to sift through the covered windows. I was going to lose a monster I never knew I had, and I was going to die when it happened.

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_Author Rant_

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_This chapter went well. In case some have noticed, this story was completed long before I even considered posting it. I figured someone else would want to read it. I am a sap when it comes to love stories. Maybe I'm not alone with that curse, eh?_

_Reviews are always nice! Much love!_

_Later._


	4. Sound of Rain

**Disclaimer:** I only own the OC and the idea behind this story. If I owned Sasuke,...not even finishing that.

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_**Sound of Rain**_

I scraped my chopsticks along the bottom of the container in an attempt to get every noodle. Sasuke watched me with some surprise as I finished my third cup of ramen. Instead of calling for more, I sat the empty cup with the others and turned to my current guardian.

"What's wrong?" I felt embarrassed with the way he was staring at me.

"You reminded me of someone," He muttered and continued to eat his ramen slowly.

"Naruto?" He choked on his noodles and his eyes were immediately on me. "You said his name when you were going to get the ramen, remember?" I smiled, but he didn't return the gesture. "Is Naruto...dead?" I asked as I sat cross-legged on the bed.

His chair squeaked slightly as he placed his empty ramen cup next to my own. He shook his head. Naruto wasn't dead.

"You seem sad when you mention him. Is he sick, too?" Sasuke didn't like my questioning, but he didn't brush me off.

"Naruto isn't sick, unless you count sick in the head," Sasuke said and managed to crack a tiny smile.

"Do you...love him?" Wrong question.

He clenched his fists and glared at me as if I were the tiniest bug in the world. As the chair squeaked to signal movement, I apologized five times.

"I think I lost someone, too," I said softly as I imagined the pallid bird from my dream.

"You still don't remember?" He didn't seem surprised; it was more of a space-filling question.

"I saw a little girl yesterday. I think she was my little sister," I said sadly. "I don't think she's alive anymore, though. I think...I might be alone." My voice cracked, and I bowed my head in shame.

I had been happy to be alive before, but I felt like it was a waste now. I had no one to go back to. No one cared about me. Sasuke only cared for me because I was the bait that would get him what he wanted. If—no, when—Akatsuki...

"Are you afraid to die, Sasuke?" I wiped a few stray tears away and looked over at him.

"I don't have time to think about dying. My first mission is to kill my brother," Sasuke said as if he'd rehearsed it a thousand times.

"If you win, what will happen to me?" His eyes cleared of thoughts of revenge for a moment.

"I'm surprised you lived through the night." He collected the empty ramen cups and slowly made his way out of the room.

"..." I shivered as a cool wind blew across my bear flesh.

Sasuke hadn't put the bandages back on. Lying back, I let my head rest on the soft pillows. The ceiling was too dark to see, but I imagined it as being gothic and covered in fading paintings from famous artists. I could see myself among them at their opening galas, and I wasn't covered in hideous burns.

My eyes drifted shut to the sounds of a waltz that had yet to be written. I had a family that loved me.

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_Author Rant_

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_This chapter is really short. Initially, I had really long chapters, but I split them all into two parts. If a reader wanted a longer chapter and requested it, then I'd make a longer chapter. But if the readers don't review and give me opinions, I won't know. I am not a psychic,...sadly._

_Reviews are always nice! Lots of love!_

_Later._


	5. Ame

**Disclaimer:** I only own the OC and the idea behind this story. If I owned Sasuke,...not even finishing that.

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**_Ame_**

It was completely black in the room when I woke up. I shifted in bed, but my skin didn't come in contact with the sheets. Someone had bandaged my wounds while I was asleep.

I slipped out of bed and tiptoed across the cool stones to the chair. My hands groped for a person that wasn't there. I hadn't expected him to be there, not when he had other things to do.

"You should still be asleep, it's three in the morning," A voice startled me.

"Sasuke." Beneath the bandages, my lips curved to allow a tiny smile.

"I train at night," He said as he took my elbow and led me back to the bed.

I heard the wooden legs of the chair scrape the stones of the floor. He sat down and watched me as I got back under the covers. He needed to take a shower and clean the blood from his clothing, but he'd felt the rise in chakra coming from my room.

"It's raining," I said softly.

I focused on the sound of the droplets hitting the earth. The boards blocking the windows groaned and shook in the wind. The air in the room had the faintest scent of spring rain. It was calming.

Closing my eyes, I let the sound of the falling rain fill every void within my body. I could see a room full of paintings and drawings. In the middle of the room was a bed, and a stuffed bear, though worn with age, sat atop the blankets like an ornament.

"Oren." My eyes fluttered open as if it were the first day I was within the dark room I'd come to call my own. "You fell asleep," Sasuke frowned and stepped away from the bed.

I noted that he was no longer wearing his black pants and shirt, but something that reminded me of a kimono. The smell of my burning room haunted my senses, and I stared down at my hands folded neatly in my lap.

"I lived in a village where it always rained; it was called Amegakure. It rained because of me..." My hands shook a little as my emotions continued to build. "A clay bird landed on the tree outside of my bedroom window. I wanted to reach it so badly; it meant everything to me. Before I could even touch it, it exploded." I looked over at Sasuke with tears in my eyes. "Someone did this to me. I'm covered in these burns, and it hurts so bad." I began to claw at the bandages and sobbing.

I felt his arms around me as he attempted to pin me to the bed. Blood soaked through the serene white of the medical bandages and painted me a crimson red. As he succeeded in pinning my hands above my head, he refused to look down at me. His eyes were on the flickering candles, and I could see that he was deep in thought.

"Baka. Hurting yourself isn't going to solve anything. I'm taking care of you, so stop making more work for me," He said as he released his hold on my hands.

"Is that all you care about? Is everything about you?" I asked and shook my head.

"I could ask you the same thing." I flinched as something landed in my lap.

Looking down, I found myself staring at a large fluffy towel. The bed moved as he got up, and he retrieved his sword that rested against the wall. A steaming tub of water had been brought in, and I looked between the tub and his retreating back.

I jumped as he slammed the doors, and I began unraveling the bandages to see the damage. My skin was dry and cracked, and, thanks to my crazed episode, bleeding. The left side of my face seemed to have the most scabbing, and I trailed my fingers over the flesh as my mind raced with thoughts and recovered memories.

"Hanzo," I said his name aloud and pictured his face. "The person(s) that did this probably got him, too," I thought as I removed my yukata.

I flinched as the bandages caught on my arm, but quickly added the soiled fabric to the pile of used bandages. Once I was free of my bandages, I made my way over to the tub of warm water. Sticking my left hand into the water, I found that the water had cooled to a lukewarm.

"'The more you change, the less you feel.'" I said aloud as I settled into the water.

Gently rubbing the soothing herbal soap over my skin, I let out a sigh of relief. My eyes opened and I caught my reflection in the water. Orochimaru said that the demon would heal me faster, but my appearance was still disconcerting. In fact, I was still hideous.

I punched the water and sent massive ripples over the surface. The demon was of no use. It brought sadness to everyone around, especially me, its doomed container.

"_Uchiha..._" My body went rigid as I heard the name whispered on the breeze.

The name seemed to send a ripple all its own through the water. Hesitantly, I looked down at the surface. My reflection showed massive scarring, and I saw myself forced to live beneath bandages. Terrified, I threw myself over the side of the tub and crawled away.

I sat in the middle of the floor with my knees pulled up to my chest. Shivering, I rocked back and forth in an attempt to lose all of the horrible mental images I'd been given. Laughter echoed off the walls, and my shoulders shook with every single sob. My demon made itself known.

"What the hell did you do now?" Sasuke stopped as he saw that I wasn't wearing any clothing.

His cheeks turned red, but he forced himself forward. Throwing a fresh yukata over my shoulders, he checked the tub for anything that would frighten me. I heard him mutter about how he didn't want to take care of a crazy girl.

"_Uchiha..._" I snapped my head up and looked around for the one that called out the name.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked as he saw me looking around.

"Didn't you hear that voice?" I asked and stopped looking around so that my eyes could settle on him.

I caught his eyes as they flickered over my scarred flesh, and I no longer cared about the voice. Pulling the yukata tighter around me, I hung my head low.

"Sasuke, do you think that I'm pretty?" The question hung in the air as he tried to hide his shock.

"..." He picked up my discarded yukata and the bloody bandages. "Get dressed before you come down with a cold, too."

"You didn't answer my question." I stopped him with the frustrated tone of my voice.

"You're annoying." He smirked.

"That isn't an answer," I frowned and got to my feet.

"You're a twelve-year-old burn victim," He said as he placed his hand on the door.

"I'm fifteen." I got my answer, so I just let him go.

Securing the yukata, I sat down cross-legged and held the roll of bandages in my mouth. Tugging on the end, I began to cover the burns on my arms. Alone for the day, I listened to the sound of the rain.

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_Author Rant_

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_First off, the name of the chapter means _rain_, just in case readers couldn't figure it out. It's okay, no need to be ashamed. It's a pretty long chapter, but that's just the way it comes. I don't write long or short chapters on purpose. _

_Reviews are always nice! Lots of love!_

_Later._


	6. Skin Deep

**Disclaimer: **I only own the OC and the idea behind this story. If I owned Sasuke,...not even finishing that.

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**_Skin Deep_**

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The voice haunted my dreams. Even in wake, the name echoed in my ears. Uchiha. I didn't know what I was supposed to do with the name, but the voice was persistent.

Sasuke hadn't returned. I managed to pry a board loose from over one of the windows. I sat watching the dark clouds move slowly across the afternoon sky.

"_Uchiha..._" I rested my head against the window frame.

"Uchiha," I repeated in an annoyed tone.

"_Human, do not use that tone with this creature. I might reconsider healing this useless container._" Startled, my leg slipped from the windowsill and I landed on the floor in a heap. "_Clumsy girl._"

"W-who are you?" I sat up and rubbed a knot forming on my head.

"_This name has no human translation. I am the four-tailed demon, contents of this container._" A fire seemed to spread from between my shoulder blades.

I leaned against the wall for support. Once the pain subsided, I called out for the four-tailed demon, but no response came. Resting my head against the wall, I looked up at the dark ceiling for comfort.

"_Do not fight. Sleep and I will heal you._" I clenched my fists and overcame the initial drowsiness by breaking the skin on the palms of my hands.

"How can I...trust you?" My voice was slurred as I fought the sleep.

"_I will heal this container, and, in return, you will not let my being be sealed. This demon has no desire to be controlled. Demons act of their free will, not of the will of humans._" My eyes slowly closed to the sound of the creature's voice.

Even in my dreams, I could feel the physical pain involved with the healing. It felt as if pins were constantly pricking my flesh, and my head ached as the gash closed itself. When the feelings faded into the background, I found myself dreaming of life with my grandfather, Hanzo.

In my dream, I walked amongst the villagers as an equal. I even found myself sharing a picnic with Sasuke along the shores of a large lake. The clay bird found me, though, and I was thrust back into reality with another fiery nightmare.

A slap echoed through the room. My cheek stung. My eyes watered. Sasuke was kneeling beside me with a look of cold indifference. Pulling away from the wall, I sat up on my own. Glancing down at my arms, I noticed that scars had replaced the many scabs. My head wasn't aching.

"Did you have to hit me?" I rubbed my cheek and glared at him.

"You were screaming," He said as he took a seat next to me.

I had wanted my wounds to heal. Looking down at my scars, I regretted letting the demon heal me. I was still hideous, maybe I was even worse.

"Naruto was a...friend of mine, before I became a missing nin," Sasuke said as he looked out the window.

"Was?" He glanced at me and nodded.

"It's too late. I made sacrifices. My entire village just happened to be the price," He said emotionlessly.

"You make it sound so small," I said with a tiny smile. "I bet you Naruto thinks of you, too. He's probably thinking of you right now." I put my hand on his, and he stared at it.

"He's too righteous," Sasuke snorted and tried to move his hand.

"Don't underestimate him," I said and took his hand in both of my hands.

"You think he's going to forgive me?" He asked in a disbelieving way.

"If he's your friend, he won't give up on you." He slipped his hand out of my grasp and rested it on the floor.

An awkward silence fell over us, and I found myself scrambling for something to say. My thoughts would always turn back to the fact that my body was covered in scars. As a cool breeze drifted through the stagnant room, I watched the way Sasuke's hair blew into his face and blocked his eyes. My eyes lowered to his bear chest, and I felt my cheeks heating up.

"What?" He tore his gaze away from the setting sun.

"I think...," I began, but stopped. "Come on, Oren, this may be your only chance. Akatsuki will find you eventually!" A small part of my mind screamed. "I think you're beautiful."

His eyes widened, and his cheeks turned the lightest shade of pink. He masked his reaction as quickly as he could, and wore an unimpressed frown on his face.

"You don't have to say anything. I know...I know I'm not pretty." I stood and walked over to my bed.

"Beauty is only skin deep." He had a dangerous glint in his eye when he spoke, but it was roguish and debonair.

When the silence returned, I didn't attempt to fill it. I knew he could feel me watching him, so I kept my eyes trained on the unlit candles.

"Akatsuki isn't far from here. Tomorrow, they'll be at the border." I tensed upon hearing his words.

"So...I'll die on a Thursday. How unfavorable," I sighed and rested my head upon my hands.

"You won't die," Sasuke said in annoyance.

"Then you'll die in my place?" I was attempting a cold sense of humor, but it didn't catch on. "Why don't you just leave here?" He glared at me. "I'm sorry, I don't know how to appreciate the importance of family. Currently, I don't have any." I said and looked away from his glaring.

"Baka." His lips twitched for a small smile, and I lost the sadness that had overcome me.

"I like it when you smile." I got off the bed and padded over to his side. "No one's...ever spent so much time with me," I said shakily.

"Oren...," He sighed.

"Don't you like me? I thought...You've been spending so much time with me. You..." I clenched my fists and let my hair hide my face.

Hot tears streaked my cheeks. I was sure he was opening up. I was so sure...that he liked me, too.

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_Author Rant_

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_I'm really unsure of this story now. I've gotten reviews on my other story, but I have yet to get any feedback on this story. To be honest, I'm kind of questioning whether or not I should post this. _

_Is it because I dared to use an OC? Would you rather have had me pair Sasuke with a fangirl. Hm..._

_Reviews are always nice! Much love._

_Later._


	7. Beauty

**Disclaimer: **I only own the OC and the idea behind this story. If I owned Sasuke,...not even finishing that.

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**_Beauty_**

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I don't remember falling asleep, but I woke up in an empty room. Outside, the stars were twinkling in promise of a cool evening. I was alone, an unsurprising fact. Hearing a fight going on outside, I got out of bed and hurried to the window.

"Damn...it!" Sasuke muttered as he cut another tree down with a fire jutsu.

He felt someone watching him, but, when he looked at the windows, I ducked. Peeking over the windowsill, I saw his body begin to change. I covered my mouth to silence my gasp. His skin began to change, and he seemed to grow wings.

"Orochimaru did that to him?" I thought as I slid down the wall and stared at the candles that were now lit.

"It's impressive, isn't it? He has a lot of power contained in that single seal. If you let me, I could give you the same power." I glared at the man that invaded my space.

"So I can become a monster? I'd rather die with Akatsuki than turn into...into...THAT!" I said angrily and pointed out the window.

"I see now. You have feelings for the boy." My cheeks turned red with anger and embarrassment. "He will be my new body soon. You should consider the cursed seal. You could help him defeat his brother if you were a shinobi..." Orochimaru smiled slyly as his words encircled my lovesick heart.

"Help him," I muttered as I glanced out at his transformed body. "Do I love myself more than I love him? No, Oren, it's not love. It's infatuation. It's physical attraction. It's a drug-induced euphoria, yet I'm perfectly sober." I thought and wrung my hands together.

He was different. Sasuke had so many different faces. His moods were as constant as a river; constantly ebbing and cresting, he would leave me behind. I wanted him to feel even a little of what I felt towards him.

If I had more power, would it make a difference? Would he...love me?

"Orochimaru-san." He paused in his dramatic exit and looked back at me.

"I want the cursed seal." The carefree look faded from my face and was replaced by determination.

I knew I had a slim chance of surviving the whole ordeal, but I also knew that my demon could increase those chances. I thought of trying to contact my inner demon, but I felt a resonating thrum that seemed to dull the threat of death. Orochimaru approached me with the slick movements of a snake.

He brushed my long brown hair aside and stared at the scars that made a puzzle upon my body. His eyes grew lighter with excitement, and I screamed as he lashed out at my throat. I swore he was no longer a man, but a snake!

He bit me, and I felt like everything was moving in slow motion. My breathing became labored, and, when he moved away, I fell to the ground like a rag doll.

"What-?!" Sasuke stopped in the doorway, struggling to regain his breath.

"Don't be jealous of her, Sasuke, you know you are my next container," Orochimaru chuckled and left the room.

Sasuke dropped his sword upon seeing the wounds, and he rushed to my side. He was furious, and he shook me to try and free me of the haze that clouded my mind.

"Did he force this on you?" Sasuke demanded and grabbed my chin.

"...Didn't...force...," I spoke between breaths. "I...wanted...it." Angry tears formed in his eyes, and the haze seemed to recede when I saw them.

"You idiot! You could have died!" He said as he sat back on the floor.

"I'm sorry." He looked over at me and his anger faded some.

"That seal could react with the demon inside of you. You could die at anytime." As he spoke, his voice lost its former anger and gained a sort of calm, informative edge.

"I know." I felt tired, so I remained on the floor. "Why won't you let anyone in?" His look darkened and he fumbled with the fabric of his clothing.

"You don't want let in, Oren." I forced myself to sit up, and he caught my elbow before I fell back down.

"Don't tell me what I want, damn it. I am not a little girl." He smirked and his eyes scanned my body with a new light.

"What?" I asked as I saw the spark in his eye.

Glancing down, I saw my scars fade one by one. Green light traced along each scar, and I was sure that it was green because of the reptile demon within me. Did it react to the seal? Was it something I said or felt?

Sasuke had masked his initial reaction by the time I looked back up at him. I was in shock, but I was elated! I was no longer a monster. I was as close to normal as I could have possibly gotten.

"It's because I'm not Sakura, isn't it? I heard you mutter her name once when you thought I was asleep. Is it because I'm not taller? Is it because I'm not thinner? What's wrong with me? I'll change!" I cried as I forced my shaking legs to hold me.

He stood up and brushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear. An explosion sounded outside, and his hand retracted and went in to strike. Before he could render me unconscious, I grabbed his hand.

"If you don't let anyone in, you won't get better." He wretched his hand free and ran to the window.

Glancing back at me, he shook his head. Akatsuki had arrived unplanned, and I was not to have any say in my life. I was to sit—as I've always sat—before the window of my life and watch as an outsider.

As he jumped from the window, a bird streaked through the sky. Although I hadn't seen many birds, I recognized that the bird was different. The bird had no defined feathers. It had no colorful eyes. It held no song to sing to the rising sun. The bird was made of clay.

"Sasuke!" I ran to the window and watched as he landed on the branch of a sturdy oak tree.

I was beautiful now, yet he still rejected me. He treated me like a porcelain doll, once broken and twice healed—once by his hands and once by his heart. For once, I wanted to heal him.

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_Author Rant_

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_All right. I only updated on this story because of the one review I received. I dedicate this chapter to Luffly Emi. You rock my socks! _

_The end is in sight. This story was meant to be a short story. Let's face facts, people, this chick can't be hauled up in that room for an extended period of time. Akatsuki people aren't that slow... :(_

_Reviews are always nice! Much love._

_Later._


	8. Everlasting

**Disclaimer: **I only own the OC and the idea behind this story. If I owned Sasuke,...not even finishing that.

_There is only one more chapter after this. Read the 'Author Rant' to find out more._

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**_Everlasting_**

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I hesitated on going after Sasuke. The window wasn't extremely far from the ground, but it was still likely to kill me.

"_This seal amplifies the power of this creature. Is this how humans show their emotion called 'love'? Cowardly are the ones that fear to walk the line of life and death, especially for those that are special to them. Demons do not know these emotions. These senses are drawn to battle._" I tensed as the muscles and bones in my body stiffened.

I gripped the windowsill tightly to keep myself upright. Sasuke was fighting two different men in cloaks. One man had blue skin, and the other was producing the clay birds. As the birds exploded, I felt my spine cracking.

"What's going on?" I said aloud in a panicked voice.

"The cursed seal is activating." I turned towards the foreign voice in fear.

The man stepped out of the shadowy doorway so that I could see his face. He looked a lot like Sasuke! I knew that I was in trouble.

"Itachi," I said as my ribs began cracking. "Stop this...!" I tried to communicate with the demon.

"This will be an easy capture," Itachi remarked to himself as his sharingan glowed in the dim light.

"I...don't know any attacks," I thought as I collapsed.

I moved back into the corner farthest from the door. Itachi knew I was no better off. The distance between us didn't matter, not when he could trap me in a horrible genjutsu. I screamed as my skin began to turn a sickeningly shade of gray. Bones thrust through the flesh and blood dribbled onto the stone floor.

"SASUKE!"

In the moment that I screamed for him, the second level of the seal had manifested itself. The demon was taking over my mind, and he was using the curse seal to control my body. Itachi, the brother Sasuke swore to kill, was upon me.

I saw his hands move to make the signs of a particular jutsu. Flames hot enough to heat the stone floor below me flew right at me. Fire. My mind and body froze. Despite the power I held, I was traumatized by the mere sight of the flames.

Something blocked the flames from reaching me, and I found my eyes gazing upon a sword of crackling energy. My body ached. The demon couldn't maintain control. I was too weak to be of any use. I was sitting in a pool of my own blood, yet no one had touched me. I had injured—and possibly killed—myself.

"Are you all right?" Sasuke asked distractedly as he moved me to safety.

"..." I saw the flames over and over again, and I couldn't find the words to break the fire's spell.

"I'm going to kill you!" I heard him say as he got to his feet.

His movements were not reckless in the least. He didn't run towards Itachi, nor did Itachi rush forward to meet him. Brother faced off with brother, each wielding their own sharingan.

"You have grown stronger." Itachi remarked as he removed his hat.

"You're still an ass," Sasuke said through an air of calm rage.

"You still don't have the ability to kill me." Itachi lunged to the side as Sasuke sent a blast of fire at him.

"This...is what he wanted?" I thought as I remained paralyzed on the sidelines.

I saw Itachi's fist connect with Sasuke's jaw. Sasuke drew back and spat the blood from his mouth, and the fight continued. Fire blocked fire. Clone fought clone. Genjutsu countered genjutsu.

Some could say there was an essence of beauty there. They moved without a sound, yet their attacks were focused and deadly. I did not see the beauty in any of it. I saw the pain.

"Stop." My voice was quiet, and the cursed seal was retreating.

Upon hearing my voice, Sasuke faltered. Itachi kicked him in the stomach and sent him crashing into the bed. Sasuke got up, but I could tell he was in pain. Indeed, they were almost upon equal plains with their skills.

I saw Itachi's eyes change. I knew a genjutsu when I saw one. Sasuke seemed trapped, and I struggled to stand. Itachi, in complete silence, drew a kunai from his cloak. My legs ached as I hobbled towards Sasuke.

"I have no need to test my ability on someone so weak, little brother. I am here for the demon. If you would have let me take her, I would have let you live." He threw the kunai with deadly accuracy.

With a single jutsu, the one kunai multiplied into ten. Sasuke screamed and grabbed his head in pain. Itachi had his eyes on me.

"Think, Oren! THINK!" I thought as Itachi moved to grab me.

A single memory replayed in my head...

_I watched the other students battling with each other. No one had wanted to be my partner, and I didn't know why. I sniffled and wiped a tear from my cheek. _

"_Hey, why are you crying?" I looked up at my grandfather, Hanzo. _

"_No one wants to be my partner. I-I can't do this stuff anyway. I'm not good at taijutsu." I pouted and sat on the cold ground. _

"_Hm. Why don't I show you some ninjutsu instead? Would you smile for this old man?" Hanzo laughed. _

"_Yes!" I exclaimed in excitement. _

"_This is a basic clone jutsu, all right? You move your hands like this. __**Tiger. Boar. Ox. Dog.**__" A puff of smoke appeared, and it revealed an exact clone of Hanzo. "Do you think you can do that, my little Oren?" Hanzo smiled encouragingly. _

"_Sure!" I exclaimed happily._

**Tiger. Boar. Ox. Dog.** Itachi grabbed the arm of my clone, and I jumped in front of Sasuke. The memory of my grandfather was just enough to get me by. I knew I would die, but I would die saving the person I loved.

The kunai stabbed me in the back, and Sasuke and I fell onto the bed. His eyes were dazed from the genjutsu, and blood was running from his ears and nose. I tried to wipe the impurities from him, but I was so tired.

"_Human!"_ The demon roared.

I smiled weakly as the picture of the creature faded from my mind's eye. Vaguely, I heard Itachi talking with another man.

"She'll never survive the journey." The man spoke with an aggravated sigh.

"Then let her die here." Itachi said as he walked away.

The sun was shining brightly upon the sordid prison that was my current home. It felt wrong. The sun shouldn't shine when people are dying. The thoughts faded as my vision began to blur. I noticed that Sasuke's eyes cleared.

"Oren?" He saw the numerous kunai that had pierced me.

"Don't," I said as he tried to get up to see my wounds. "Can...we just stay like this? Just for a little while..." My voice was soft, but wavering.

He wrapped his arms around me, and I rested my head against his chest.

_Thump_. _Thump_. _Thump_.

The sound of his heartbeat soothed my fears, and my body had ceased to feel the pain of my wounds. Despite the power I received, it all came down to a basic jutsu—a jutsu Hanzo taught me.

"Are you afraid to die, Oren?" Sasuke asked with softened facial features.

"Not anymore." Everything went black.

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_Author Rant_

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_Well, I'm sorry to say that it is true. This story has come to an end. One more chapter, and I will no longer be looking at this story. _

_I left people with a major cliffhanger, didn't I? Is she dead? If there is another chapter, who will be telling it? Is Sasuke going to tell the next chapter? Is it Itachi? I know,...I wish it were Itachi. Perhaps it is punishment for my lack of reviews! Mwuahahahaha!_

_At the end of the next chapter, I will tell people of my plans for this mess. Until then..._

_Reviews are always nice! Much Love._

_Later._


	9. Lies

**Disclaimer: **I only own the OC and the idea behind this story. If I owned Sasuke,...not even finishing that.

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**_Lies_**

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A bird's song drew me out of the dark tunnel. Slowly, I began to regain feeling in my body. My memories, once lost, were intact. I opened my eyes slowly, not wanting to be greeted by the morbid cell I called a room.

"Hey! She's awake!" A loud, blonde-haired boy shouted over his shoulder. "Heh. Granny Tsunade, it worked!"

"Would you stop calling me that?" The woman known as Tsunade said in a tired, annoyed voice.

"Where's Sasuke?" The blonde-haired boy stepped aside, and I caught sight of the cards that littered the hospital room table.

"Sasuke Uchiha betrayed this village. He was labeled a missing nin over eight months ago." Tsunade, obviously the Hokage, spoke sternly.

"Uchiha? His name was Uchiha?" I blinked to try and hold back the tears that were building.

"You know where he is?" The now serious blonde asked.

"...He's not here?" My voice cracked, and the pain in my back seemed to multiply with the breaking of my heart.

"He hasn't been in this village for over eight months. Did you meet with him?" Tsunade asked as the interrogating Hokage would.

"N-no," I lied and cast my eyes downward on my hands that rested in my lap.

"You've been out for a few months. I was able to find someone to seal that...," Tsunade motioned to my cursed seal. "You can explain what happened in two days' time. You'll be released as a citizen of Konoha." She left after her speech, and I found a hand grasping my own.

"Why did you lie? If you know where he is-!" The blonde began.

"_Naruto was a...friend of mine, before I became a missing nin," Sasuke said as he looked out the window. _

I found myself sobbing as I remembered the evenings I spent with Sasuke. I wanted to die there with him, not wake up in another foreign country! I didn't want to be alone.

"I'm sorry. If I said something...," Naruto trailed off as he scratched the back of his head.

"Naruto!" A girl scolded from outside of the room.

"Naruto," I thought and looked up at him.

A light blush colored his cheeks, and he released my hand. Seeing him blush caused my cheeks to redden as well, but I did not feel the butterflies that I'd had with Sasuke.

"Itachi is dead," I said as I found myself gazing out the window.

"So it's over." Naruto took a seat next to my bed. "Did he...say anything about me?" His face showed the pain he felt, and it made me want to cry even more.

"You'll always be his friend." He looked up at me in surprise, and a wide grin formed on his face.

He cried, and I put my hand over his. Sasuke had left not only his friends and village, he left the one that loved him.

"You said I wouldn't die," I said aloud. "You lied."

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_Author Rant_

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_It's over. Now I can present people with a choice. If only one person reviews for it, I will grant the wish!_

_Remember when Oren said that she had a sister? Well, I made a sequel about her sister. I can assure you that at the end of that story---it's already been completed---Oren makes another appearance. _

_The story is a GaaraxOC story._

_Thanks for reading! Reviews are always nice!_

_Oh, yes, because no one else reviewed, I might as well dedicate this entire story to...Luffly Emi:)_

_Later!_


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